RetireJapan

To be clear: I have a passport but it runs out in July next year. So, I'd like to renew it, but I've also just joined a driving school in Kanagawa. To renew my passport, I need to send it back to the UK and may be without it for up to three months.

In the sign up process to join the school, all I needed was a photo ID (passport, zairyu card, or MyNumber were all acceptable), but I am just wondering if I will need my passport when I eventually apply for the provisional (仮運転免許) and (hopefully) full driver's license in a few months time.

I will ask at the driving school as well but the staff there seem pretty overworked and a bit dismissive when it comes to questions. I am just curious if anyone could answer based on personal experience. Not sure it makes any difference, but I am from the UK, am employed, and have permanent residence.

Thanks!

Got my license earlier this year. （around February/March)
I was not asked for my passport at any stage. Only the residence card.

As above, just did my renewal, no passport needed.

BUT, if you are getting an international driver's permit, separately or at the same time as a renewal, you do need your passport.

At my renewal I realized the IDP window was right there, so I asked if I could also get one, and their first question was, "Do you have your passport?"

I didn't, and while they did say that I could fax them a copy of the data pages later, I skipped it and will go back again another time.

Thanks a lot. Good to know!

Also, I just found this link for applying for an IDP in Kanagawa and it says similar to what you said, captainspoke. You need a:

A document that shows you are going abroad (such as a passport, receipt of passport application, sailor's passport, etc.)
https://www.police.pref.kanagawa.jp/eng ... g83008.pdf

soundofsilver wrote: ↑Tue Nov 22, 2022 1:54 am To renew my passport, I need to send it back to the UK and may be without it for up to three months.

Just to add recent U.K. passport renewal experience in case it’s useful, I did mine in September. Got my new passport just under 4 weeks later and my old one back a few days after that. The actual processing time from the old passport arriving at the Passport Office to a new one being sent off was under 2 weeks so if the postage gods are with you, it should be well under 3 months.

All the best with it!

Ah, good to know! Thank you!